Musical instrument string having improved anchor means and method of making the same



R 0 H C N A E M A OS ME H IT 6% MNQ Im RNA. AH l M F .Noly L @W H April 1 1, 1967 v MUSICAL INSTRUMENT STRI MEANS AND MET Filed United States Patent 3,313,196 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT STRING HAVING IM- PROVED ANCHOR MEANS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Daniel L. Mari, New York, N.Y., assignor to E. & O. Mari, Incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed July 12, 1963, Ser. No. 294,690

4 Claims. (Cl. 84-297) This invention relates to a string for musical instruments. More particularly, the present invention relates to a musical instrument string having improved anchor means and to a method of making the same.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a musical instrument string having a means for anchoring the same to the instrument, which string and anchor means are simply made and which function effectively.

Musical instrument strings are generally manufactured in a manner such that they have an anchor means at one end. When the string is attached to an instrument such as a guitar, violin or the like, the string is passed through an aperture or other holding means and is kept in place by the anchor means provided at one end of the string. The string is then extended in the usual manner and is anchored at the other end of the instrument in a suitable manner, generally by being passed through a hole in the peg of a key and by being wound around the peg in such a fashion that it is held in place.

One method of anchoring strings to musical instruments has consisted of tying the string to the musical instruments by means of one or more knots. Thi method has the disadvantage that the knots, if not properly tied, may unravel or loosen, thereby preventing accurate adjustment of the string and preventing the maintenance of a constant tonal quality of the string. Such tying also has the disadvantage that it takes time to properly tie the string and, once tied, the string is diflicult to remove for replacement.

Another method of anchoring strings comprises simply tying a knot at the end of a string and using the knot as an anchoring or retaining means. The string i passed through a hole in the instrument and the knot anchors the string in the hole. However, this method has the disadvantage that the knot can be untied or can slip slightly, thus making it impossible to have an accurate adjustment of the string and to maintain the string at a desired degree of tightness. In addition, the knot could pass through the hole due to pressure on the string.

Another method of anchoring musical strings comprises tying the string around a retaining means, for example a grooved cylinder in which the string rests and holding the string in place on the cylinder by means of a knot. This method has an advantage over the tying of the string to the instrument, in that the string can be readily removed for replacement. However, such retaining means are difiicult to attach to the strings, involving cumbersome, time consuming and expensive operations.

The present invention provides a means for anchoring instrument strings which i simple to apply to the string, simply to manufacture and inexpensive to manufacture, and which overcomes the disadvantages of the known methods for anchoring strings. In addition, the anchoring means of the present invention has an attractive appearance and is so constructed that it will not in any Way mar the instrument. It is also so constructed that it can be firmly anchored in place on the instrument and, as a result, the string can be maintained in adjustment over long periods of time.

The present invention comprises an instrument string having a knot at one end and having an anchoring means through which said string passes, said anchoring means being held in a fixed position on said string.

The anchoring means can be held in a fixed position on the string by means of frictional contact with said knot, by being snapped over said knot or by a combination of these two methods.

In a preferred form, the present invention comprises an instrument string having a knot at one end and having an anchoring means, made of resilient material, snapped over said knot. The anchoring means is snapped over the knot in such a manner that the string can be subjected to a large tensional force without pulling outof the anchor means. In this embodiment, the anchor means is also held in place due to its elastic properties so that it does not move in either longitudinal direction along the string, once it has been snapped in place. This arrangement thereby permits the anchoring of a string or an instrument in such a manner that the tensional force can be maintained substantially constant.

Other features and advantage will be apparent from a consideration of representative embodiments of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying drawings and hereinafter described. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of an anchoring means illustrating one form of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side view of the anchoring means shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side view, partially in section, of a musical instrument string and the anchoring means shown in FIG. I mounted thereon.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side view, partially in section, of a musical instrument string and another anchoring means, representing a preferred form of the invention, mounted thereon. 7

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of an anchoring means illustrating another form of the invention.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view of an anchoring means illustrating a modified form of the invention.

FIG. 7 is a cross sectional View of the anchoring means of FIG. 6 taken alon the line 77.

FIG. 7a is a cross section of the anchoring means of FIG. 6 taken along the line 77 and illustrates a modification of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 and 7.

It should be understood that the invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangement of parts shown in the accompanying drawing, which are merely illustrative of the present invention. Additional changes and further embodiments of the invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof and it is understood that all matter contained herein shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Referring more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, anchoring means 10 is shown having cavity 16 connected to cavity 12 and forming, respectively, openings 11 and 13. In FIG. 3, musical instrument string 14 is shown with knot 15. After knot 15 has been tied in string 14, the string is passed through opening 11, through cavity 16 and cavity 12 and out through opening 13 until knot 15 abuts side 18 of cavity 16. Knot 15 is held in place by frictional contact with side 17 of cavity 16. Anchoring means 10 may be made of resilient material but may also be made of nonresilient material so long as it is capable of holding knot 15 in place by friction. It is important to note that wall 18a of anchoring means 10 is thicker than wall 19. This is to provide suflicient strength to anchoring means to properly hold knot 15 in place when under tension.

FIG. 4 shows an anchoring means which is similar to the anchoring means shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, except that it has a resilient end 39 which snaps over knot 35. In this embodiment, anchoring means 30 is preferably entirely vmade of a resilient material, such as polypropylene or polyethylene. In this embodiment, string 34 is passed through opening 31, through cavity 36 and cavity 32 and out through opening 33 until knot abuts side 38 of cavity 36. Knot 35 is held in place by the clamping action of resilient end 39. It can also be held in place by the frictional force between knot 35 and the inner surface 37 of cavity 36.

FIG. 5 shows a similar anchoring means to that shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, except that the anchoring means 40 has a hollowed-out frusto-conical shape, having connecting cavities 46 and 42. Cavity 46 has tapered walls 47 which are adapteed to hold a knot by frictional force and by a slight clamping action. In this embodiment, wall 40a is thicker than wall 49 and openings 43 and 41 are provided in cavities 42 and 46, respectively. Cavity 49 also contains side 48. However, in this embodiment, a knot need not abut side 48, as knot abuts side 13 in FIG. 3, since in FIG. 5, a knot may be held by the sloping sides 47 of cavity 46 at a point closer to opening 41 than to side 48.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a similar anchoring means to that shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. In FIGS. 6 and 7 anchoring means 50 has a generally cubical outer shape. The outer shape could also be any other convenient shape. In this embodiment, wall 500! is thicker than wall 59 and openings 53 and 51 are provided in cavities 52 and 56, respectively. Side 58 of cavity 56 provides a surface against which a knot abuts, as does knot 15 against side 18 in FIG. 3. Sides 57 of cavity 56 function to hold a knot by frictional force as sides 17 hold-knot 15 in FIG. 3. In FIG. 7 cavity 56 has a circular cross-section.

FIG. 7a illustrates a variation of the anchoring means of FIGS. 6 and 7, wherein the cavity 56 has a generally cubical shape, instead of a generally cylindrical shape, and has a square cross-section.

The strings which may be employed in accordance with the present invention include any of the conventional instrument strings which are capable of being tied in a knot. This includes strings made of both synthetic and natural materials, for example nylon strings, natural gut strings and the like.

The anchoring means may be made of such materials as plastics, for example polyolefins such as polyethylene,

polypropylene or polystyrene, or vinyl materials, such as polyvinylchloride; natural or synthetic rubber; for example hard rubber, wood or even metal. However, it is preferably made of a tough, resilient material, such as polypropylene or polyethylene, which can hold the string by both frictional force and by a clamping action and which can be readily and economically manufactured in standard plastic molding or extruding equipment.

I claim:

1. A musical instrument string having a knot tied at one end thereof and anchoring means at said end, said anchoring means having a first cavity positioned in an end wall thereof and adapted for the passage therethrough of the musical instrument string, said anchoring means having a side wall defining a second cavity, the bore of said second cavity being larger than the bore of the first cavity, said first cavity being connected to said second cavity, the knot on said string being fixed in position within said second cavity, said side wall of said second cavity being adapted to hold securely the knot tied on said musical instrument string by positive contact therewith, said end wall being thicker than said side wall.

2. The musical instrument string of claim 1 wherein said anchoring means is made of a resilient material.

3. The musical instrument string of claim 1 wherein said anchoring means is made of a polyolefin resin.

4. The musical instrument string of claim 1 wherein the side wall of said second cavity is adapted to hold the knot tied on said musical instrument string by a clamping action.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 674,618 5/ 1901 Shaefi'er 84-297 2,293,251 8/1942 Fords 2l1119.10 2,535,143 12/ 1950 Kosmis 84-297 2,536,118 l/l Armstrong 16-122 3,130,626 4/ 1964 Martin 84-297 RICHARD B. WILKINSON, Primary Examiner.

LEO SMILOW, LOUIS CAPOZI, Examiners. C M. OVERBEY, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT STRING HAVING A KNOT TIED AT ONE END THEREOF AND ANCHORING MEANS AT SAID END, SAID ANCHORING MEANS HAVING A FIRST CAVITY POSITIONED IN AN END WALL THEREOF AND ADAPTED FOR THE PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OF THE MUSICAL INSTRUMENT STRING, SAID ANCHORING MEANS HAVING A SIDE WALL DEFINING A SECOND CAVITY, THE BORE OF SAID SECOND CAVITY BEING LARGER THAN THE BORE OF THE FIRST CAVITY, SAID FIRST CAVITY BEING CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND CAVITY, THE KNOT ON SAID STRING BEING FIXED IN POSITION WITHIN SAID SECOND CAVITY, SAID SIDE WALL OF SAID SECOND CAVITY BEING ADAPTED TO HOLD SECURELY THE KNOT TIED ON SAID MUSICAL INSTRUMENT STRING BY POSITIVE CONTACT THEREWITH, SAID END WALL BEING THICKER THAN SAID SIDE WALL. 